Stove or range



16, 1 940. c. H. HoFFsTETTER ET A1. 2,187,320

srovE` 0R RANGE Filed oct. 19, l19:58

avlllllfllll ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1940` ICE sovs on RANGE con n. nomenclsns noten F. noncicacr,

Y Erie, Pa.

Application otobcl- 1s, 193s, scrlol No. 235,902

Ourinvention relates'to stoves and ranges and more particularly to that type of stoves and ranges having spaced or dividedpcooking tops, as illustrated in our Design Patents Nos. 67,549and 102,430. c

The object of o ur invention is to provide a service drawer or tray in the cooking top of the range which does not interfere with free use of the working surface between the top burners.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood as the description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a stove. partly broken away, embodyingl our improved service drawer or tray; and

Figure2isasideviewofthesamepartlyin section.

Referring more particularly to the drawing I denotes a. range provided with broiling and baking ovens 2 and 2, the front openings of which are normally closed by doors l and l respectively. There are two burner compartments 6 and 1, ad-

suitable gas or other burners, not shown. The enameled sheet metal portions B and 8 of the range top lil, provide working surfaces extending between the side walls I I of the range and the top openings I2 and I3 of 'the burner compartments 6 and 'I. 'I'he parts 8 and- 0 also function to prevent pots or pans etc. from being accidentally pushed oi! the burners tothe floor;

When the burners are not in use,.the openings I2 and I3 may be closed by porcelain enameled sheet metal covers Il and Il, suitably hinged jacent opposite ends of the range, for housing at their rear ends to the stove top. These covers 'thus ail'ord relatively wide working surfaces, for 'supporting dishes,v pans and the like.

Arranged between the burner compartments 6 and 'I is an intermediate-well or compartment I t, in which a sheet metal drawer or box I1. is snug- 4rly housed. This box is designed to contain knives, forks, spoons or other utensils used in cooking operations. A hinged sheet metal enameled cover I8 normally closes the well Il`and hides the box 'I'I fromview. Accessmaybercadilyhadtothe box II byraisingtheoover Iltoexposethebox to view. When in closed position the top face of cover. I8 is flush with table top portions. and 9 and substantially flush Lwith the burner grids Is, thus also affording additional working surface. 'ff It will be noted that the additional working surface thus'vprovided is most conveniently positioned with respect to the burner grids. In fact cooking u utensilsmaybeconvenientlyslidorliftedfrom s claims. (cl. 12e-214) one to the other, and the same is true of the covers I4 andv I5 when the latter are in closed position.

'Ihe cover I8 is sustained in elevated position and against accidental closing by means of a wire 5 bail 20, the offset ends 22 of the arms 23 and 24 of which are pivotally mounted in the oppositely disposed side walls of the well I6. One oii'set end 22 of the bail 20,'is extended and curved to form a crank arm 25 to which one end of a coil spring 10 28 is connected, the other end of the spring being attached to the back of the stove.l Normally this bail lies in an out of the way position within the box I1, asindicated in dotted lines in 2. When the user of the range is'cooking and u desires to use knives, forks, spoons or other articles kept in receptacle I'I, she simply lifts the cover I 8 to a substantially vertical open position with one hand'and with theother swings the bail upwardly from an ofi center position, whereupon the spring 26 pulls the bail into contact with a pair of lugs 21, spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the lift cover. These lugs act as a stop for the wire bail when itysprings back into position for sustaining the cover in'a slightly' 35 forwardly inclined position. The spring pressure of the bail against the stops oiiers frictional resistance to further upward or opening movement of the cover which might result in damage to the cover or its hinges.

In order to close the cover I8 it is merely necessary for the housewife to swing the bail vforwardly and downwardly upon its pivots to a below dead center position within the box I'I, where not interfere with the cover as the latter moves by gravity 'or is manually moved to horlzontal or closed position. chllviiisig thus described our invention, what we Larangehavingautensil compartmentbe- 40 neath the rangetop and accessible through said top, a hinged cover for saidrtop movableV from a closed horizontal position to a substantially vertical open position, a bail hingedly mounted in said utensil compartment for movement out of 45 said utensil compartment into engagement with saif.' cover for sustaining said cover in open p osltion. o

2. A range having a utensil compartment beneath the. range top, a hinged cover for said top movable from a closed horizontal position to a substantially vertical lopen position, means hingedly mounted'in saidutensil compartment for movement out of sala utensil consument independently or the top and accessible through said 5 of the cover and into engagement with said cover for sustaining said cover in open position.

3. A range having a utensil chamber opening through the top of the range, a hinged cover for said utensil chamber, a spring actuated bail pivotally mounted in said utensil chamber and movable out of said utensil chamber for sustaining the cover in partially open position and movable into said utensil chamber when not in use, and a stop member adjacent the rear end of said cover against which said bail rests and opposes movement of said cover to completely open position.

4. A range having a compartment opening through the top of the range, a hinged cover for said compartment movable from horizontal to vertical position to open said chamber, a bail pivotally supported at its ends in said chamber and normally housed within said chamber, a stop member on the under face of said cover adjacent the rear end thereof and spring means for swinging said bail upwardly into engagement with said cover and for forcing said bail frictionally against said stop to sustain and maintain said cover in substantially vertical position. 5. A range having a utensil chamber opening through the top of the range, a sheet metal cover therefor, means for supporting said cover in open position, and said means being movable into said utensil chamber independently of the movement of the door when not in use.

CARL H. HOFFS'I'E'I'I'ER. ROBERT F. HOFFSTETIER. 

